CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(IMonographs) 


ICIMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  Instituta  for  Historical  Microraproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquas 


©1996 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  technique  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 


D 
D 

D 

D 
D 

n 

D 
D 
D 

n 


Coloured  covers  / 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged  / 
Couverture  endommagee 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Couverture  restaur^  et/ou  pelliculde 

Cover  title  missing  /  Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps  /  Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)  / 
Encre  de  couleur  (I.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations  / 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material  / 
Reli^  avec  d'autres  documents 

Only  edition  available  / 
Seule  edition  disponible 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin  /  La  reliure  serrde  peut 
causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorsion  le  long  de 
\a  marge  intdrieure. 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoratk)ns  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have 
been  omitted  from  filming  /  II  se  peut  que  certaines 
pages  blanches  ajout^es  lors  d'une  restauration 
apparaissent  dans  le  texte,  mais,  k>rsque  cela  6tait 
po6sit>le,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  6t6  fitmdes. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  examplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  ddtails  de  cet  exem- 
plaire  qui  sont  peut-6tre  uniques  du  point  de  vue  bibli- 
ographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modifications  dans  la  m6th- 
ode  normale  de  filmage  sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 

I     I     Cokjured  pages  /  Pages  de  couleur 

I     I      Pages  damaged  /  Pages  endommag6es 

I     I      Pages  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
' — '      Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  pellk^l^s 

r^K    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed  / 
' — '      Pages  decolorees,  tachetees  ou  piqu^es 

r7]      Pages  detached  /  Pages  ddtach^s 

r~/     Showthrough  /  Transparence 

I     I     Quality  of  print  varies  / 

' — '      Quality  inegale  de  I'impresston 

I     I      Includes  supplementary  material  / 
' — '     Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

I  I  Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
' — '  slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image  /  Les  pages 
totalement  ou  partiellement  obscurcies  par  un 
feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure,  etc.,  ont  etd  filmees 
a  nouveau  de  fa^on  k  obtenir  la  meilleure 
image  possible. 

I  I  Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
' — '  discolourations  are  filmed  twice  to  ensure  the 
best  possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant 
ayant  des  colorations  variables  ou  des  dteol- 
orations  sont  film^s  deux  fois  afin  d'obtenir  la 
meilleur  image  possible. 


D 


AdcitkMial  comments  / 
Commentaires  suppt^merrtaires: 


This  ittm  is  f  ilmad  at  th«  raduction  ratio  chackad  baiow/ 

Ce  document  est  f  tlmi  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X 


22X 


26X 


XX 


V 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  fiimaci  h«r«  has  b««n  raproducad  thanks 
tu  tha  ganaroaity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'axamplairo  filmt  fut  raproduit  grica  k  la 
flAn^rotitA  da: 

Bibliotheque  nationale  du  Canada 


Tha  Jmasaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
pouibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  itaaping  with  tha 
filming  conttaet  apocif ications. 


Original  copiaa  in  printad  papar  covara  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copiaa  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illuatratad  imprassion. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  «>^  (moaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  ▼  (moaning  "END"). 
whichavar  applias. 


Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  *ti  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat*  da  I'aiiamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avac  laa  conditiona  du  contrat  da 
fllmaga. 

Laa  axamplairaa  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  aat  imprimOa  sont  filmAs  an  commandant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniira  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  tacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axamplairas 
originaux  sont  filmOs  an  commandant  par  la 
pramiOra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'impraasion  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darniira  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 

Un  daa  symbolaa  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniira  imaga  da  ehaqua  microficha.  salon  la 
caa:  la  symbola  — i»  aignifia  "A  SUIVRE".  la 
symbola  ▼  aignifia  "FIN". 


Mapa.  platas.  charts,  ate.  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratios.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraiy  includad  in  ona  axposura  ara  filmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  cornor,  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bonom,  as  many  framas  as 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrams  illustrata  tha 
mathod: 


Laa  cartas,  planchaa.  tablaaux.  ate.  pauvant  etre 
filmia  A  daa  taux  da  reduction  diffirants. 
Lorsqua  la  documant  ast  trop  grand  pour  itra 
raproduit  an  un  saul  ciich*.  il  ast  f  ilmi  A  partir 
da  I'angla  sup^riaur  gaucha.  da  gaucha  i  droita, 
at  da  haut  an  baa.  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagaa  nOcaaaaira.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrant  la  mAthoda. 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

*««OCOPY   RiSOlUTION   TEST  CHAJT 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


^    .APPLIED  IIVHGE 


'653   East   Moin   Street 

Rochester    Ne.  York        14609       USA 

(716)  482  -  0300  -  Phone 

(716)   288-5989  -  Fo, 


'J. . 


ft 


ij,-'. 


•/ 


CANADA'S  POLITICAL 
RELATIONS 


WITH  THE  EMPIRE. 


/■ 


<^tf 


'/ 


a.Acc'- 


A^v^- 


Canada's  Political  Relations 
with  the  Empire 

ADDRESS    DFXIVERED    BV    MR.   C.  H    fXHAN    KC    Ml  KiHK    THk 
CANADIAN  CLUB.  AT  B()Sr()N\MASS.    ON    hR-i  i  vli^^^^^^^ 

TUESDAY.  JANUARY  30th.  191  ^'•'^''^^'  "•* 


Mr.  Chairman  and  Gentlemen: 

The  recent  Federal  Elections  in  Canada  were  decided,  in  a  large 
measure,  upon  the  issue  presented  by  the  late  Government  in  regard 
to  the  commercial  relations  of  Canada  with  the  United  States;  but 
the  deci.si.)n  rendered  by  the  electors  of  Canada  was  not  altogether 
due  to  a  careful  balancing  of  the  financial  advantages  or  disadvan- 
tages of  the  adoption  or  rejection  of  the  proposed  commercial  agree- 
ment; it  was  al.«o,  in  a  measure,  the  natural  result  of  the  develop- 
ment in  the  minds  of  the  Canadian  people  of  the  National  idea,  of 
the  consciousness  that  they  have  become  a  Canadian  Nation,  endowed 
with  a  distinctive  National  character,  permeated  with  a  vigorous 
National  life,  vested  with  National  responsibilities,  and,  withal, 
masters  of  their  own  National  destiny. 

^  It  was  one  of  the  ironies  of  fate  t^at  the  Government  of  Sir 
Wilfrid  Laurier  should  have  suffered  defeat  because  the  National 
spirit  of  Canada  was  aroused  over  a  commercial  issue,  which  he  and 
his  colleagues  had  placed  before  the  country  for  the  very  purpose  of 
avoiding  the  supreme  political  problem  which  must  sooner  or  later 
be  solved,  the  problem  of  reconciling  Canadian  Nationalism  with 
Imperial  Unity,  the  problem  of  moulding  the  virile  National  instincts 
of  the  Canadian  people  into  harmony  with  their  traditional  aspi- 
rations to  maintain  their  political  connection  with  the  British  Empire. 

In  the  opinion  of  many  shrewd  political  observers  there  would 
have  been,  in  1911,  no  question  of  reciprocity  in  trade  with  the  United 
States,  if  the  candidate  of  the  late  Government  had  not  sufTered 
an  unprecedented  and  overwhelming  defeat  in  the  Federal  By- 
Election  in  the  District  of  Drummondand  Arthabasca  in  November, 


HMO.  Tlml  ronstituenoy  had  h.cn  tlic  liomo  of  Sir  \Vilfri(i  f,aurif'r 
in  hiM  purly  niiinhiMul,  the  scctic  of  h\s  earlier  pnife^siomil  itnd  poli- 
tical triiim|)hH,  ulwavh  lii-*  eotisixtent  :  iippurter  tlirouRhoiit  his 
active  political  life,  and  always  prou.l  cf  flie  fli^tinction  which  it 
had  long  enjoyed  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  the  etiiinent  I-iberai 
leader  had  been  its  distinKmshed  represeiitati\e  in  the  Provincial 
I.CKislut\ireand  in  th."  Fech'ral  Parliament  and  had  always  rnaintaincdhis 
country  residence  in  that  distrief.  Hut  despite  all  this,  and  despite 
the  personal  appeals  of  their  r|ii,.ftain,  the  electors  of  Driimrnond 
and  Arthabasca  doonieil  (he  candidate  of  Sir  Wilfrid  Lanricr  to 
iRnominious  defeat. 

Tl..a  defeat  was  apparently  (piite  nnexperted.  ft  filled  with 
'  (Hsternution  the  ini/ids  of  the  premier  antl  of  his  as-sooiatPH.  and  it 
inspired  with  ho{)e  the  ranks  of  his  [lolitical  opponents.  Sir  Wilfrid 
I-aurier's  naval  [xilicy  had  been  rep;i(liated  in  a  constituency  of  his 
own  selection,  in  his  own  stn.nnliold  -f  (Quebec.  The  old-time  bleus 
orconservatives.ledbyMonk  and  Nanid.and  th(  <lis.-entient  Liberal.s 
led  by  liourassa  and  ],aver«ne.all  unili  d  under  the  bannerof  Nation- 
alism, had  Completely  swepi  il,e  fi..l,|.  ]\  was  to  avoid  (he  possi- 
bility of  a  Keneral  defeat  -.n  t'.iul  same  issue.  I  believe,  that  Sir 
Wilfrid  Laurier  reluctantly  espoused  the  cause  of  reciprocity  with 
the  United  States. 


Nationalist  Tendencies 

The  Nationalist  tendency,  which  .s  so  marked  in  the  recent 
development  of  the  British  Colonies  of  Canada,  Australia,  New 
Zealand  and  South  Africa,  and  which  is  frecj  -titly  referred  to  as 
"Colonial  Nationalism,"  may  find  differ,  nt  methods  of  expression, 
owing  to  RcoKraphical,  racial  or  social  conditions,  but,  in  the  main, 
it  is  marked  by  similar  characteristics.  The  chief  of  these  is  the 
increasing  and  clearer  consciousness  of  u  community  of  political 
interests  on  the  part  of  colonics  situated  in  close  proximity,  which 
has  stimulated  the  growth  of  a  sentiment  of  political  unity,  and  which 
has  resulted  in  the  confederation  of  (he  firitish  North  American 
Colonies  into  the  Dominion  of  Canada  in  .July,  1867,  in  the  creation 
of  the  Commonwealth  of  Australia  in  January,  1901,  ami  of  ihe 
Union  of  South  Africa  in  May,  1910. 

The  Confederation  of  the  British  North  American  Colonies 
in  1867,  was  the  fotmdation  of  Canadian  Nationalism.  Sir  .Fohn  A. 
MacDouald  was  pre-eminently  the  lead(>r  of  the  Nationalist  poUtical 
movement  in  the  British  North  American  Colonies. 


'b 


I'pon  fill'  DrKiiiiizjitioii  ..f  ilic  (  anii'liurj  < '((iifi-dcrary,  thosi' 
< 'oloiiit'H  11.-SI1II1III  ('(iiii|il*-li'  ii>piiti'iliility  f«ir  tlii'  r.iii^iriK  iitnl  I'xpi'H- 
■  liturc  «)f  thi'ir  own  nxniiic*.  tin-  a<lmirii>trati(>ti  4if  their  own  |»ublic 
"crviccM,  thi'  itc\('ii)priit'iit  of  tlifir  own  industrial  utui  cointncrcial 
in.stitutiDiis  Hiiil  the  constniitioii  of  tliiir  nittTtial  ways  of  c  tninui- 
iiicution;  liiit,  l>y  tli.'  [<riti-li  NOrtli  Anicrica  .\<t  of  the  niperial 
I'urliatui'nt.  whiih  crrati  .1  tlic  I  nion.  ilni'-  poliiicai  activities  and 
responsiliiliiies  wire  -trictly  cuidined  to  .lie  «eoKrapliicaI  liniit.s  of 
( 'ana<lu,  and  they  •,•,.  re  eonc.deil  no  riijlit  (»r  aijlliority  to  purtii-ijiate  in 
strietly  Imperial  nor  Inten   .tional  affairs. 


Sir  .folui  \.  Mae')onald.  tlironnlioiit  the  negotiations  for  a 
union  of  the  Urili-^h  .Vrneriean  <  oii.nies,  fnely  and  fre«pientlv  ex- 
pressed the  l.elief  that  1  h(  franier-  oj  (  onfederation  were,  in  fart, 
founding  a  Kreat  Nation,  i-reatiim  a  ureal  \;itionalify.  "I  helii"-;'." 
said  he.  duritiji  the  (  onfediTation  Dehale*  ui  IHIj.'),  "that  as  we  j^row 
"strotiKer,  that  as  it  is  fe'i  in  l>iu;Iand  we  have  I.ecorne  a  people, 
"al)le  fntrn  our  iniion,  our  strenulh,  oiu-  |)opulation,  and  the  develop- 
"ineiit  of  our  ro.sourees,  to  take  our  |io-itiou  arnon«  the  Nutiori.s  of 
"the  World,  T 'uland  would  he  le.^s  willing  to  part  with  us  than  .she 
"would  he  now,  when  we  are  liroket!  u|i  into  a  numler  of  insigni- 
"ficant  Colonies." 

"Our  future  projiross,"  lie  added,  'durinu  the  next  (jiiarter  of  a 
"century  will  he  \a.stly  u.<:iter.  .\iid  when  hy  means  of  this  rapid 
"incrca-se,  we  liecome  a  nation  of  .iuht  or  nine  millions  of  inhabi- 
"tants,  -nir  alliance  will  lie  worthy  of  heiiiu  sought  hy  the  ^reat 
"nations  of  the  earth.  I  am  proii.i  to  helievi'  that  our  desire  for  a 
"pcriuarent  alliance  will  lie  lei'iprocated  in  Ijujland.  The  Colonies 
"are  now  in  a  transition  state.  ( ;ra<luall,\  a  dilTcrent  ( 'olonial  system 
"is  heiiiK  developed  and  it  will  liecome.  year  by  year,  less  a  case  of 
"dependence  on  our  part,  and  of  o\er-ruliiiu;  protection  on  the  part 
"of  the  A.'other  Couitry,  and  more  a  case  of  healthy  and  cordial 

"alliance So  lony;  as  that   all'ancc  is  ii.aintained, 

"we  enjoy,  under  her  protection,  the  privileges  of  coiisiitutional 
"liberty  accordin>>;  to  the  British  system.  We  will  enjoy  that  which 
"is  the  great  test  of  constitutional  freedom -we  will  have  the  rights 
"of  the  minority  respected." 

Canadian  Nationalism 


The  earlier  years  of  Confederation  were  devoted  to  the  organi- 
zation   of    the  i)ublic   services,  and  to  promoting  internal  ways  of 


communication;  nnd  Inter-  in  1878  0,  by  his  tnrifT  poli(  -  ,  which  he 
and  his  colleuKucs  irmis^tcd  upon  (IcHcriliinK  !H  u  Natioritt  policy, 
Sir  John  'lovrlopcd  in  t'lr  niiti(U  of  the  ('unudiiin  people  u  conNciouM- 
ne88  of  ti.i'ir  eomrnou  •■ronuniic  exlHtenir,  u  consriouHneMM  which 
has  fsinee  l)peouie  the  ntnMe  \ii\h'\h  of  (unudu'M  induNtrial  and 
commercial  pmnresN.  He  advocated  niid  undertook  the  construction 
of  National  works,  and  he  frequently  referred  to  the  construction 
of  the  ('anudiiiti  Pacific  Railway  as  CanHda's  ureutest  National 
achievement.  His  li-spirHtions  for  the  development  of  a  vifiorous 
Canadian  Nationality,  in  which  the  two  great  races  which  frst 
settled  the  Provinces,  would  have  ecjual  rights,  responsibilities  ar.d 
privileKCS, — his  fervid  ( 'anndian  patriotism,  at  length,  permeated  the 
very  minds  and  hearts  of  the  Tanarlian  people. 

That  National  trade  and  tarilT  policy,  Sir  Wilfrid  l.aurier  sub- 
sequently, in  a  large  measure,  adopted  and  maintained.  He,  too, 
undertook  the  construction  of  another  .National  Transcontinental 
Railway;  and  he  even  surpassed,  in  one  respect,  all  his  predecessors, 
by  assuming  control  of  the  Imperial  fortifications  on  the  Atlantic 
and  Pacific  C'oasts  of  Canada,  and  by  accepting,  on  behalf  of  the 
Government  of  Canada,  complete  responsibility  for  its  military 
defence. 

The  direct  intervention  of  successive  Canadian  Covernments, 
in  the  negotiation  of  commercial  treaties  affecting  Canada,  has  also 
vitalized  the  National  idea;  while  both  the  successes  and  failures  of 
Canadian  representatives  in  conserving  Canadian  interests  in  nego- 
tiations with  foreign  powers,  and  in  asserting  her  territorial  rights 
before  various  tribunuis  of  arbitration,  have  alike  served  to  create  a 
sense  of  National  individuality  and  National  responsibii' 

The  development  of  the  National  ideal  has  also  created  a  jealouo 
determination  in  the  minds  of  the  people  to  coi  serve  and  maintain 
the  rights  cf  responsible  self-governmcnt^the  political  autonomy, 
which  they  have  hitherto  obtained  by  persistent  resistance  to 
the  extreme  pretensions  of  Colonial  Clovornors  and  of  the  Colonial 
Office  at  Downing  Street. 

The  Canadian  Nationalism  of  the  past  has  imbibed  the  spirit 
of  "  What  we  have  we  hold;"  and  that  spirit  has  been  strengthened 
by  the  belief  tht.  the  development  of  Canada's  industrial  and  commer- 
cial interests  must  ever  dejx'nd  upon  the  fostering  care  of  her  own 
Government,  and  upon  the  intelligently  directed  energy  of  her  own 
people. 


' 


In  latiT  ynifj*.  thf  iiiiihI>  of  the  jMoph-  of  Ciuiaila  liii\.  l.«iuii,f 
•  ngrwwMl  Willi  the  \v,,rk  of  iliv.lopiuK  tlnir  i>wu  int«rnal  Ttaourco*, 
fompli'tiiiK  intmiul  >'uivs  ..f  ciiiiiiiiiiiiifiUiori  li\  rnilwaya  iiiul  oaiiiiN, 
corHfriictiiiK  uri-at  liarl>oiir  impro\tiii»iits,  •■irvators,  whHr\<<  iiimI 
dork.x,  for  lhf»  a(>«'oiiiiiin<lalioii  of  their  evi'r-iiurrn.«inR  export  nii.l 
import  trr.iU',  hiiililiiiK  ritii-s  and  towns,  fartorit-s  and  work-shop^, 
developing  inincral,  tinilur  and  uft  iiltiiral  restturct-s,  and  witlinl 
ofKaniziiiK  tlicjr  va>t  Westt  m  distrii-ts  ot  ,.rrit,»r.v.  und  rt-HtinK 
for  tlw^e  district-  in-  political,  atrial  and  iiidu^triai  institutions  »,, 
iMTfSMarv  to  their  MiMK'tia!  pro-<perity  and  to  their  domestic  political 
aUvancenient. 

Imperial   Relations 

The  snccess  which  has  attend<  d  iiie  wisely  direcKd  ilTorls  of  the 
Canadian  Mcopli-.  and  their  co!is.  qiient  satisfaction  with  the  working 

ofthcirownpolitiral  institutions,  ha-oniy  served  to  increase  theirfer\  ill 
patriotism,  which  has  for  >  \  expre»ion  in  the  determinutioti  to  main- 
tain their  complete  <lirec.i.  landiontroioftheirownafTairs.toprestTve 
their  own  forms  of  local  self-j4<nernment.  and  to  iiermit  of  no  en- 
croachmei's  i.pon  the  political  autonomy  which  they  have  hitherto 
efHciently  exercised.  The  older  scliem's  of  Imp.'rial  l-'ederatioii, 
which  implied  an  organic  Federal  Iriion  of  tin'  Kmpire,  were  no 
lon«er  even  dix  iisse.l  in  ( 'aiiada,  except  occasionally  Ky  a  few  doctri- 
mtires.  who  were  represented  to  the  people  as  Hourlions,  capahle 
of  learning  nothinn  and  of  forKctting  nothing.  The  people,  since  the 
South  .\frican  War,  had  concerned  themselves  hut  little  with  Imixrial 
alTairs;  and  the  occasional  visits  of  memliers  of  the  (  ai  'ian  CoNcrn- 
ment  to  participate  in  Imperial  C  onferences  at  London,  re  regarded 
with  a  laiiKuid  and  impersonal  interest.  The  Hritisi,  nmpire  was 
supreme  u|)on  the  seas;  Canada  was  safe  to  pursue  her  i)aths  <.f 
peaceful  pro^n'ss.  Tin-  Knulish  politicians  minht  quarrel,  as  usual, 
over  poor  laws  and  licensing  hills.  e<lucation  and  .social  reform,  and 
incidentally  rule  the  Kmjjire;  hut  so  lony  as  the  Canadian  people  were 
prosperous  and  content,  of  what  concern  to  them  were  the  parochial 
politics  of  (Ireat  Britain,  upon  which  Kn«lish  Parliamentary  parties 
were  divided,  and  l.y  virtue  of  which  English  Governments  were 
elected  or  defeated? 


But  early  in  1909  Canadians  were  suddenly  aroused  from  their 
apparent  apathy  and  indifference  to  Imperial  interests  hy  the  clouds 
w^hieh  suddenly  covered  the  political  horizon  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
North  and  Baltic  Seas. 


'J'lio  first  impulse  of  tho  Canadian  politicians  was  to  ronsidcr 
and  evolve  ways  and  means  for  the  prott'ction  of  their  coasts  against 
possible  foreign  aggression,  and  then,  as  the  possibilities  were  more 
carefully  considered  and  discussed,  it  was  urgently  represented  that 
Canada's  connection  with  the  Kmpire,  and  in  fact  the  continued 
existence  of  the  Empire  itself,  would  depend  upon  ensuring  the 
supremacy  of  the  liritish  Navy  ujion  the  high  seas.  How  could 
that  supremacy  be  best  maintain*  <1  ?  By  Colonial  contributions 
of  n.oney  or  shii)s  for  the  relief  of  the  Knglish  Exchequer,  over  the 
expenditures  of  which  Canadians  hav"  no  responsible  direction  or 
control,  for  the  support  of  a  foreign  policy,  with  respect  to  which 
Canada  has  never  been  consulted,  for  carrying  on  a  war  of  defense 
or  of  offense,  in  the  making  or  the  ending  of  wliich  Canada  had  no 
voice  ?  And  so  the  discussion  was  i)rolonged  until  the  political 
representatives  of  the  Canadian  people,  and  a  large  number  of  the 
people  themselves,  began  to  realize  that  the  issue,  incidentally  raised 
by  the  probability  of  (ierman  aggression,  involved  a  more  or  less 
complete  solution  of  the  problem  of  Canada's  political  relations 
with  the  United  Kingdom,  uful  with  the  Empire  of  wliich  Canada 
forms  a  part. 

The  develoi)ment  of  that  discussion  and  the  contributions 
so  far  made  by  the  chief  particijjants  to  a  possible  solution  of  the 
problem,  I  desire  to  relate,  with  more  or  less  rletail,  so  far  as  possible 
in  the  words  of  the  participants  themselves. 

The  German  Scare 

Early  in  1909  the  public  men  of  Great  Britain  became  suddenly 
awakened  to  a  knowledge  of  the  unprecedented  progress  of  (iermany's 
Naval  construction,  and  to  the  possibility  of  its  ultimate  naval 
strength  surpassing  that  of  (ireat  liritain. 

Mr.  Reginald  McKenna,  First  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  in  the 
English  House  of  Commons,  on  March  lOth,  referring  to  the  extra- 
ordinary growth  of  tlie  power  of  c(jnstructing  ships  of  the  largest 
size  in  (iermany,  said;  -"To  day  this  productive  power  is  a  realized 
"fact,  and  it  will  tax  the  resources  of  our  own  great  firms  if  we  are 
"to  retain  the  supremacy  ip  rnpidity  and  volume  of  construction." 


Mr.  A.  .1.  Halfour,  Leader  of  the  Opposition,  following  Mr. 
McKenna,  declared:— "That  we  are  face  to  face  with  a  situation 
"so  new,  so  dangerous,  that  it  is  very  difficult  for  us  thoroughly  to 
"realize  all  that  it  imports.     For  the  first  time  there  is  bordering  on 


■'the  N'ortli  Sea,  upon  the  waters  hatliiriK  our  own  shores,  a  mreat 
"power  which  lias  got  the  oapaeity,  and  which  looks  as  if  it  had  the 
"will,  to  C()ini)ete  with  us  in  point  of  actual  nunibors  of  great  buttle- 
"ships." 

Prime  Minister  As(iuith  also  emphatically  declared: —"We, 
"whose  whole  national  lifi;  and  security  depend  ujmju  our  supremacy 
"at  sea,  cantiot  afTord  to  go  behind,  to  slacken  our  efiforts,  or  to  put 
"ourselves  in  such  a  position  that  any  contingency  that  might  occur 
"could  possibly  menace  that  independence  and  supremacy." 

Later  in  the  month,  in  oi)posing,  in  the  Hnglish  House  of  Com- 
mons, an  opposition  vote  of  censure  on  the  ( lovernment  for  a  Naval 
policy  which,  it  was  alleged,  does  not  sufficiently  secure  "the  safety 
of  the  Kmpire,"  Sir  Edward  (!rey.  Foreign  Secretary  of  England, 
made  the  deliberate  statement  that:  "A  new  ituation  is  for  this 
"country  created  by  the  (Jernum  program.  Whether  that  program 
•  is  carried  out  (juickly  or  slowly,  the  fact  of  its  existence  makes  a 
"new  .situation  ....  When  that  i)rogram  is  completed, 
"(lermany  -a  country  clo.-e  to  ()ur  own  shores —will  have  a  fleet  of 
"thirty-three  Dreadnoughts.  This  fleet  will  be  the  most  powerful 
which  the  world  has  ever  .seen." 

By  this  time  the  German  scare  had  permeated  the  whole  Empire, 
xinmcdiate  preparations  were  made  by  the  British  Admiralty  for 
laying  down  four  more  Dreadnoughts  in  addition  to  the  four  already 
provided  for  in  the  earlier  estimates  of  that  year.  In  the  meantime, 
the  public  press  of  (^anada,  and  various  public  bodies  and  prominent 
citizens,  gave  repeated  expressions  to  the  demand  that  Canada  should 
make  an  effective  contribution,  either  in  money  or  in  ships,  to  secure 
and  maintain  the  supremacy  of  the  British  navy,  though  it  was 
made  clearly  apparent  that  there  wer(>  many  who  did  not  approve 
of  the  idea  of  contribution,  and  who  favoured  the  suggestion  that 
Canada  should  do  nothing  more  than  })rovide  adequate  protection 
for  her  own  .sea  coasts. 


The  Naval  Question  in  Canada 

A  discussion  arose  in  the  Canadian  House  of  Commons  on  March 
29th,  upon  a  resolution  presented  by  Hon.  George  E.  Foster,  one  of 
the  Leaders  of  the  Conservative  Opposition,  to  tiie  efTect  that: — 
"In  view  of  her  great  and  varied  resources,  of  her  geographical  position 
"and  national  environment,  and  of  that  spirit  of  self-help  and  self- 


"rt'sptct,  wliicli  iiloiif  hi'fits  a  stroiif;;  and  growing  jH'o])le,  Canada 
"should  no  longer  delay  in  assuminK  her  proper  share  of  the  responsi- 
"bility  ami  financial  burden  incident  to  the  su. table  protection  of 
"her  exposed  coast  line  and  great  seaports."  Mr.  Foster,  in  his 
speech  supporting  this  resolution.  <)l)jected  to  a  fixed  annual  contribu- 
tion in  money;  and  he  was  followed  by  Sir  Wilfrid  Laurier,  the  Leader 
of  the  CJovernnient,  who  (h-dared  that  the  Ciovernment  stood  by  its 
refusal,  at  ths  Imperial  Conference  of  1002,  to  contribute  to  the  support 
of  the  British  army  or  navy. 


While  this  discussion  was  in  progress.  Sir  Wilfrid  Laurier, 
Prime  Minister,  and  Mr.  U.  L.  Borden,  Leach-r  uf  the  Opposition, 
by  private  personal  discussion,  doubtless  witii  a  view  to  creating 
unanimity  of  sentimei»t  in  Cunaila,  came  to  an  agn-ement  to  accept 
the  following  resolution,  which  was  adopted  by  the  Canadian  House 
of  Commons  without  division:  - 

"This  House  fully  recofjnizes  tlie  duty  of  the  people  of  Can.id.-i,  as  they 
increase  in  numbers  and  wealtli,  to  assume  in  larger  measure  the  responsibilities 
in  national  defense. 

The  House  is  of  opinion  that,  under  the  present  constitutional  relations 
between  the  Mother  Country  and  the  self-noverninjj  Dominions,  the  payment 
of  regular  and  periodical  contributions  to  the  Iin|>erial  tn^asury,  for  naval  and 
military  purposes,  would  not,  so  far  as  Canada  is  concerned,  be  the  most  satis- 
factory solution  of  the  tpiestion  of  defense. 

The  House  will  cordially  approve  of  any  necessary  expenditure  desifcned 
to  promote  the  .speedy  organization  of  a  Canadian  naval  service,  in  co-operation 
with  and  in  close  relation  to  the  Im{)crial  navy,  along  the  lines  suggested  by 
the  Admiralty  at  the  last  Imperial  Conference,  and  in  full  sympathy  with  the 
view  that  the  naval  supremacy  of  Britain  is  essential  to  the  security  of  com- 
merce, the  safety  of  the  Em])ire  and  the  peace  of  the  world. 

The  House  exi)res.ses  its  firm  conviction  that,  whenever  the  need  arises, 
the  Canadian  people  will  be  found  ready  and  willing  to  make  any  sacrifice  that 
is  required  to  give  to  the  Imperial  luthorities  the  most  loyal  and  hearty  co- 
operation in  every  movement  for  the  maintenance  of  the  integrity  and  honour 
of  the  Empire." 


I  wish  to  direct  special  attention  to  the  declaration,  con- 
tained in  the  second  clause  of  this  resolution,  that,  under  the  present 
constitutional  relations  between  the  Mother  Country  and  the  self- 
governing  Dominions,  the  payment  of  regular  and  periodical  contri- 
butions to  the  Imperial  treasury  for  naval  and  military  purposes 
would  not,  so  far  as  Canada  is  concerned,  be  the  most  satisfactory 
solution  of  the  question  of  defence;  and  to  the  alternative  declaration 
in  favour  of  the  speedy  organization  of  a  Canadian  naval  service 
in  cl'  5e  co-operation  with  and  in  close  relation  to  the  Imperial  navy. 


'  t  soon  became  clearly  apparent  that  the  eomproiuise,  negotiated 
l)ytlie  leaders  of  the  two  |)()liti('al  parties  in  the  House  of  Commons, 
was  not  received  with  unanimity  by  the  people  of  Canada. 

In  the  meantime,  puVjlic  alarm  was  quieted  somewhat  by  a 
pronouncement  of  Sir  William  H.  White,  late  Director  of  Naval 
Construction,  in  the  Nineteenth  Century  for  April,  1909,  in  which 
he  referred  to  th(!  "exaggerated  statements,  and  hysterical  enquiry 
"which  had  been  made  in  some  quarters,"  and  ridiculed  "the  estimates 
"of  politicians,  innocent  of  technical  knowletlge,  like  the  Prime 
"Minister,  Mr.  Halfour,  the  First  Lord,  and  many  others. 

Nevertheless,  an  Impi'rial  Press  Conference  was  convened  in 
London  early  in  June,  at  which  were  asseml)led  representatives  of  the 
I'ress  from  every  jiortion  of  the  self-governing  Dominions,  to  whom 
the  leaders  of  political  opinion  in  CJreat  Britain  made  most  elocjuent 
appeals  that  the  Colonies  should  co-operate  in  providing  for  the 
defense  of  the  whole  Empire. 

"Take  this  message  back  with  you,"  said  Lord  Rosebery  to  the 
representatives  of  the  Imperial  Press,  "that  the  (^Id  Country  is  right 
"at  heart;  that  there  is  no  failing  or  weakness  in  her;  and  that  she 
"rejoices  in  renewing  her  youth  in  her  giant  Dominions  beyond  the 
"Seas.  For  her  own  salvation  she  must  look  to  herself,  and  that 
"faihng  her,  .she  nuist  look  to  you." 

Sir  Edward  Grey  declared  tluit: — "The  one  essential  thing  is 
"that  we  should  kee)i  the  high-road  of  the  sea  open,  and  that  is  the 
"great  Imperial  strategic  problem  which  now  confronts  us.  The 
"navy  is  the  common  security  of  the  whole  Empire.  If  it  ever  fails 
"to  be  that,  it  will  be  of  no  use  for  us  to  discuss  other  subjects." 

"Local  defense,"  declared  Mr.  Balfour,  "must  be  subor(Unate 
"to  Imperial  defen.se.  The  individual  parts  of  the  Empire  never 
"can  be  saved,  never  can  be  powerful,  never  can  be  strong,  if  their 
"ilefense  is  onlv  local." 


Imperial  Defense  Conference 

In  the  meantime  the  Imperial  Government,  in  May,  made 
unexpected  preparations  for  calling  the  representatives  of  the  colonies 
to  London  to  take  part  in  an  Imperial  Defense  Conference,  which 
met  in  July,  and  in  which  the  Canadian  Government  consented, 


ratlicr  reluctantly,  to  participate,  hy  sending  two  representatives, 
the  Canadian  Ministers  of  Marine  and  of  Militia;  but  their  instruc- 
tions wen-  })ased  upon  the  unanimous  resolution  of  the  Canadian 
House  of  Conuuons,  to  which  1  have  referred;  and,  even  at  the  time 
that  Sir  Wilfrid  Laurier  decided  to  participati-  in  the  Conference, 
he  stated  in  the  House  of  Conunont-,  on  May  18th,  that:  "I  (piite 
"realize  that  Canada  has  reached  th.'  period  in  its  history  when,  as 
"a  Nation  and  as  a  part  of  the  British  IJnpire,  we  should  acknow- 
"li  !si;e  the  fact  scpiarely  and  prepare,  ;is  far  as  we  can,  for  our  own 
"defense,  and  that  w«'  should  make  all  adecpiate  preparation  to  that 
"ofTect.     I  am  not  pre])ared  to  say  to  what  extent  we  should  go." 

Subsequently,  in  London,  on  .July  2.')tli,  the  Canadian  Minister 
of  Mihtia  stated  to  the  i)ress  that:  -"There  is  in  Canada  a  practical 
"agreement  of  opinitm  as  to  the  line  we  should  adopt  in  regard  to 
"Imperial  defense.  The  resolution  of  the  Dominion  Parliament 
"disposes  of  the  matter,  and  it  is  on  this  our  instructions  are  based." 

The  memorandum  sul)mitted  to  this  Conference  by  Mr.  McKen- 
na.  First  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  while  admitting  that  his  suggestions 
were  modified  by  the  various  circumstances  in  which  the  over-seas 
Dominions  were  placed,  and  that  "their  history  and  physical  envi- 
"ronment  have  given  rise  to  ii.d-adual  national  sentiment  for  the 
"expression  of  which  room  must  be  found,"  declared  that:— "In  the 
"opinion  of  the  Admiralty,  a  Dominion  (lovernment,  desirous  of 
"creating  a  navy,  should  aim  at  forming  u  distinct  fleet  unit;"  the 
particulars  of  which  he  presented  as  costing,  at  British  rates,  $17,- 
500,000,  at  the  outset,  and  S3,000,0(M)  per  year  for  maintenance; 
and  he  urged  tlmt  the  Heet  unit  maintained  by  a  Dominion  (Jovern- 
ment  should  be  "treated  as  an  integral  i)art  of  the  Im])erial  forces," 
inasmuch  as  "it  is  tisiitf  qua  non  that  successful  action  in  time  of 
"war  depends  upon  unity  of  command  and  direction."  He  also  added 
that:  "It  has  been  recognized  by  the  Colonial  (iovernments  that 
"in  time  of  war  the  local  naval  forces  should  come  under  the  General 
"Directions  of  the  Admiralty." 

The  Canadian  representatives  at  this  conference  were  unwilling 
to  accept  the  Admiralty's  recommendation  in  its  entirety;  and  asked 
for  modified  suggestions  regarding  the  composition  of  the  proposed 
unit  on  the  basis  of  annual  expenditure  of  $3,000,000  and  $2,000,000 
respectively . 


10 


Conflictinti  Canadian  Opinions 

111  llu"  iiicaiitimc.  the  ('aiiiifliim  j)nss  was  filled  with  a  perfect 
babel  of  voices,  ^onie  a|)i)n>\iii<i.  ollieis  opposiiijf  the  I.iiurier  naval 
scheme,  otliers  Mi^jjiestiiifi  oilier  selieiiie.».  each  ii;i\iMH  exjjrossion  to 
his  own  preference  as  to  policy  and  as  to  details,  clearly  indicatinK 
that  there  was  no  real  unity  of  pui)lic  opinion  such  as  the  unaniiiious 
resolution  of  the  Canadian   I'arli.tnient   at   fir>t  seemed  to  indicate. 

^Ir.  Borden,  I<ea(ler  of  the  Opixisition,  consistenlly  adhered  to 
the  resolution  of  the  Canadian  House  of  Commons.  In  I,ond(Mi,  in 
July,  he  declared  that  "while  ( 'anadians  would  make  any  and  every 
"sacrifice  in  time  of  need,  regular  or  periodical  (•ontril)Utions  to  the 
"British  Treasury  was  not  the  l)(>st  inethod;"  and  later,  at  Halifax, 
in  October,  he  ur^e'l  tiiat:  "One  noveriiiiiK  princiiile  at  least  should 
"control,  namely,  that  out  of  our  own  materials,  by  our  own  labour, 
"and  l)y  the  instructed  skill  of  our  own  people,  any  necessary  provi- 
"sioii  for  our  naval  defense  should  be  made  as  far  as  may  be  reason- 
"ably  ])ossible,soasto  jrivo  a  stimulus  and  eiicouraK''iii<'iit  to  the  ship- 
"buildiuK  industry  of  Canada  whi<'h  has  loiiK  been  h'-kiiig." 

Mr.  Monk,  M.P.,  the  Conservative  Leader  in  the  Province  of 
QuJ'bec,  at  a  political  l)aiiquet  held  at  I-achine  early  in  November, 
1909,  protested  against  the  jiroposed  jiolicy  of  military  and  naval 
consolidation  as  fatal  to  the  jirinciple  of  self-ftovernment,  and  de- 
clared that:  "The  democracy  of  our  country  cannot  admit  that  the 
"people  should  not  control  their  own  destiny.  )Ve  should  not  be 
"bound  before  we  have  been  consulted  and  manifested  our  wishes;" 
while,  in  reply  to  Mr.  Monk,  Sir  Wilfrid  Laurier,  siieaking  atToronto, 
declared  that  :"lf  we  do  have  a  navy  that  navy  will  so  to  no  war, 
"unless  the  Parliament  of  Canada  chooses  to  send  it  there." 

Later  Premier  Robliii,  of  Manitoba,  described  tiic  Laurier  Xaval 
Scheme  as  .separatist  in  character,  useless  in  effect,  and  costly  in 
price,  and  (h-clared  that  "Canada  should  contribute  in  the  be.st 
"possilile  way  to  the  maintenance  of  British  sea  supremacy,  through 
"prompt  and  direct  contribution  to  one  great  Imperial  Navy;" 
while  Premier  McBride.of  British  Columbia,  Premier  Hazen.of  New 
Brunswick,  Mr.  Haultain,  Provincial  Conservative  Leader  in  Sas- 
katchewan, on  various  occasions,  strenuously  urged  direct  contribu- 
tions either  in  money  or  in  ships. 

A  new  note  in  favor  of  Imperial  co-»jperalion  was  sounded  by 
Sir  Thomas  Sliauglines.sy,  at  a  banquet  in  Montreal,  on  December 


11 


n  r 


2n(l,  to  tho  rffcet  that  in  the  fiitiin"  Canada  would  hfcomc  "a  Krcat 
"nation,  a  |)o\V('rfiil  infim-ncc  in  the  Councils  of  tin-  British  pcoplr, 
"a  powerful  factor  in  Imperial  alTairs."  To  which  Henri  Pourassa, 
who  was  thereafter  destined  to  take  a  lar^e  and  intluc  n(ial  j)art  in  the 
discussion  of  Canadian  naval  policy,  concisely  retorted,  at  a  l)anquet 
hehl  one  week  later,  that 


)anque 
-"If  Canada  is  to  aid  in  Hritish  wars, 
"she  must  have  re])resentation  in  British  dijjlomacy." 


Th'reafler  petitions  were  largely  circulated  in  Ontario  and  in  the 
West  which  directed  public  attenti(jn  to  the  fact  that:  "No  consti- 
"tutional  means  have  been  jjrovided  whereby  the  jieople  of  Canada 
"may  influence  the  declaration  of  war,  or  the  conduct  of  it,  or  the 
"conclusion  of  peace.'' 

The  Canadian  GrauKC  and  the  Canadian  National  Council  of 
Agricultrre  also  emphasized  the  (h'mand  for  a  j)oi)ular  vote  on  the 
navy  question. 

In  November,  1909,  the  Canadian  Parliament  asain  assembled, 
and  on  January  lOth,  1910,  the  Naval  Bill  was  introduced  by  the 
Prime  Minister,  who  explained  that  the  Canadian  (iovernmcnt 
had  not  accepted  the  Briti^a  Admiralty's  suggestion  of  a  complete 
naval  unit,  but  that  they  propctsed  to  construct  eleven  shijis  at  a  cost, 
if  constructed  in  Great  Britain,  of  $11,000,000,  or,  if  constructed  in 
Canada,  of  at  least  S15,000,000;  and  he  added— "I  may  say  that  it 
"is  our  intention  to  stuit  at  the  earliest  moment  with  the  construction 
"of  this  ^leet,  and,  if  possible,  to  have  the  construction  done  in 
"Canada." 

The  Premier  also  directed  attention  to  a  special  provision  of  the 
Bill,  that  while  the  na\  al  force  was  to  be  under  the  Canadian  Govern- 
ment, "yet,  in  case  of  emergency,  the  CJovernor-CJeneral  in  Council," 
that  is  the  Canadian  Govermnent,  "might  ])lace  the  Canadian  ships, 
"officers  and  men  at  the  disposal  of  His  Majesty  for  general  service 
"in  the  Royal  Navy;"  and  over  this  provision  of  the  Bill  a  prolonged 
guerrilla  warfare  was  afterward  fuiiously  waged.  C)n  the  one  nand, 
Mr.  Borden,  who  is  now  Prime  Minister,  made  the  i)ungent  criticism 
that:— "Tnder  existing  proposals  the  Canadian  navy  would  l)e  a 
"Canadian  force  in  time  of  peace;  in  time  of  war  it  would  be  an 
"order-in-council  navy." 

On  the  other  hand.  Mr  Monk,  'M.F..  now  Minister  of  Public 
Works,  declared  that — "What  is  proposed  to-day  is  to  invite  us  to 


12 


"hecoiuc  rf»8ponsili!o  for  tlic  policy,  for  tin-  <!iplorii:irv,  for  tlic  treaties 
"for  th<'  alliaiu'cs  (of  tin-  Imperial  (loveniinent )  of  wliicli  we  know 
"notirms,  over  \vlii<'li  we  liave  no  control,  made  by  men,  excellent 
"men,  no  doubt,  but  men  who  are  not  responsil)le  to  us.  .\nd  the 
"pro|)osal  is  to  ask  us  to  assume  all  tliese  responsibilities,  without 
"uiu"  enjoyinji  t.'ie  i)rivile>jes  of  re|)resentation." 

"Most  imi)ortant  of  all,"  said  Mr.  Monk,  at  a  later  date,  "we 
"have  no  voice  of  any  kind  in  the  <'onduct  of  Imperial  affairs,  while 
"beinji  l)ound  i)y  Imperial  olili>j;ations  toward  other  countries.  \\\ 
"become  liable  to  1h<'  political  and  financial  resuits  of  those  obli- 
"Kiuions,  without  any  representation,  or  administrative  responsi- 
"bility." 

Mr.  Dohorty,  M.P.,  who  is  now  Minister  of  Justice,  also  insisted 
that  atiy  jiolicy  of  contribution  to  Imperial  defense  should  embody 
the  rijiht  of  i)articii)ation  in  the  control  or  direction  of  Imperial 
foreij^n  policy.  "1  am  here  to  say,"  said  he,  "that  when  this  duty  is 
"jHesented  to  us  of  our  taking;  a  share  in  the  maintenance  of  the 
"naval  forces  of  this  Empire,  there  is  necessarily  presented  to  us, 
"at  the  same  time,  another  duty,  the  duty  of  our  taking  a  share 
"in  the  lieavy  bunlen  of  the  control  of  the  foreijjn  alTairs  of  this 
Empire." 

Mr.  Perley,  M.P.,  wiio  is  now  a  memljer  of  the  Canadian  Govern- 
ment without  jK)-* folio,  was  also  insistent  upon  the  imjmrtance 
of  maintaining  the  unity  of  the  Empire,  and  the  necessity  of  Canada 
oontril)uting  efficiently  to  the  defense  of  the  Empire,  with  a  view  to 
obtaining  representation  in  it>  government. 

The  Quebec  Campaign 

The  Xaval  Bill  was  enacted  into  law.  by  the  votes  of  the  Liberal 
majority  in  a  divided  lio\ise,  and  in  May,  1910,  Parliament  was 
prorogued.  In  the  previous  January,  Henri  liourassa,  a  former 
supr  ter  of  the  Laurier  administration,  and  subse(|uently  a  member 
of  the  (^uel)ec  Legislature,  a  ( 'anacHan  of  French  descent,  a  clo.se 
student  of  constitutional  liistory,  possessed  of  clear  jjolitical  in.'^ight, 
of  unsurpassed  literary  attainments  and  oratorical  gifts,  founded  in 
the  City  of  Montreal  the  newspaper  "Le  Devoir,''  in  which  day 
after  day  he  preached  the  doctrine  of  Nationalism  and  Autonomy, 
and  persistently  assailed  the  Laurier  naval  policy  with  most  biting 
criticism  and  the  keenest  satire. 


13 


A  |)(iliti<'iil  ciiiiipiiiuM  of  pliitfonii  addresses  was  also  carried  oi» 
ill  tlie  Pro\iii(e  ul'  (^iielxc  during  the  ensiling  summer  l>y  Messrs. 
Monk,  Jioiiiassi,  Niiiitel.  liloiidiii,  I.averune  aii<l  others,  while  Sir 
Wilfrid  F.aiirier  and  a  niinilier  of  his  colleaKiies.  tieatiiiK  the  eaiii|)aiKii 

in  (^ueliec  with  ai)|)areiit  iiididerei ,  made  a  tour  of  the  U'esterii 

I'roviiires.  pres.-iitiiiK  the  usual  politieal  iilatitudes,  and  oe<-asionally 

aroiisiiijt  s e  enthusiasm  hy  descrihiiiK  the  Imperial  structure  as 

"a  Kalaxy  of  younjj  nations  -urioiindiiiK  (Ireat  Ikitain,  each  with 
"National  respoiisiiiilities,  and  i)ound  together  \>y  the  link  of  a  com- 
"iiion  alle>{;iance.'' 

lint  early  in  OctoI.er,  Utld,  the  Federal  representation  for  the 
electoral  division  of  Druminond  and  Arthaliasca  hecanie  vacant; 
till-  writ  for  a  new  election  was  issue<l;  and,  in  the  short  political 
ciimpaiKii  which  ensued,  the  pent-up  energy  and  enthn  ia.sm  of  the 
opposing  |)arties  found  oiipurtunity  for  full,  free  and  frank  expression. 
Sir  Wilfrid  Laurier  hini.self  boldly  entered  the  contest  in  his 
old  constituency,  and  prolmbly  never  before,  in  a  single  electoral 
contest  ill  Cuiiuda,  were  so  many  jxilitical  speakers  ennaKcd,  or  so 
many  im[)a.ssioned  ai)i)eals  made  to  the  electors.  On  Xovemher  .kd 
the  blow  fell,  and  was  felt  throughout  Canada.  The  candidate  of 
Sir  Wilfrid  Laurier  ha;'  been  utterly  defeated  on  the  naval  issue, 
111  a  constituency  of  his  own  selection,  in  his  own  Pro\  iiiceof  (^ueln -j. 

On  Nt)vember  9th  the  Nationalists  celebrated  their  victory  by 
a  monster  (h'liioiistration  in  the  ("ity  of  Montreal,  when  .some  15,()00 
people  cheered  to  the  echo,  Monk.  Bourassa,  Lav(>rgne  and  Cilbert, 
the  succes.sful  candidate,  and  unanimou.sly  re-affirmed  tlie  tenets 
of  their  political  faith  in  the  following  n-solution:— ^ 


This  nicetiiiK  approves  and  rutitio.s  tin-  verdict  rendered  hv  the  electoral 
divi.sion  of  Druinniond  and  Arthahas.a,  le-atfirins  the  will  ofthe  Canadian 
IJeople  \,  uphold  the  rights  of  the  British  Crown  in  Canada,  denlares  itself 
ready  to  approve  of  all  necessary  and  efficient  measures  to  make  sure  the  defense 

Canadian 


of  Canadian  territory;  but  it  considers  as  contrarv  to  the  principle  of  Cana 
autonomy  and  to  the  real  unity  of  the  Empire  iuiv  policy  tending  to  im 
upon  Canada,  that  has  no  voice  in  the  (iovermuen't  of  the  Empire,  any  s.,c.v= 
in  the  external  responsibilities  or  in  the  tnilitarv  defense  of  the  Empire,  "outside 
of  Cana.han  territory— the  only  portion  of  the  Empire  upon  which  the  Canadian 
|)eople  may  exercise  any  political  or  constitutional  action. 


pose 
irnre 


That  contest  and  that  emphatic  declaration  of  political  principles 
impressed  the  consciousnes.s  of  the  Canadian  people  with  a  more 
intelligent  perception  of  the  real  significance  of  the  naval  issue; 
and  they  began  to  realize  more  clearly  that  a  decision  upon  the  naval 
issue  involves  the  necessity  of  solving,  or  at  least  of  making  a  rational 

14 


ffTurt  to  stueiy.tDappnciatc.  ami  lAiniiially  tu  p.iM-  the  way  for  tiit> 
.'iolutioii  uf  tin-  proliltiii  of  ('aiuuht's  political  niatioiis  wtli  tin- 
KiiiKiloin  uf  (ircat  Britain  and  Iri'land,  ami  wiMi  Ikt  >i>t<'r  (  olonii« 
of  Australasia  and  South  Africa. 

Later. in  November,  I'.tlO.  the  (  aiiadian  I'arlianient  a>£ain  as^ m- 
bled,  ami,  in  di-cussinu  an  amendment  to  the  addre-s  in  reply  to  tin- 
speech  fron»  the  Throne.  Mr.  liorden.  then  Leader  ot'  the  <  »pposition. 
who  is  at  this  moment  Prime  Minister  of  (  anada.  matle  a  pronounce- 
ment of  far-reachinK  imi)ortance.  to  the  e(Tect  that  the  ado|)tion  ..f  a 
|)ennanent  policy  of  contributioi..;,  by  Canaila,  to  the  naval  defend- 
of  tlu'  Kmpire,  necessarily  involves  a  readjustment  of  the  jiolitical 
relations  hetween  ("amida  and  the  Kmpire: 

"I  caiiiKil  «cc,"  Slid  lir,  "th.it  it  Is  i)<)s-.il)lc  to  iii.iiiit.iiii  the  ii,i\,il  supn  iii 
acy  of  tlif  Kiiipirc  l>y  :i  scries  of  ilisiinitt'cl  navies,  not  iiinlci' nnc  rciitnil  cdiitrr)!. 
•  .  .  I  think  the  (|iicsti<in  nf  ("aiuida's  co-opcriitiiiii,  ii|iiiii  a  |M-rin:iiH'iit 
basis  ill  liiipcrinl  dcfciiso.  involves  very  laiije  and  very  widi-  consiileriitions. 
If  Cuniida  tind  the  otiier  Dominions  ol'thp  Kni|iire  are  to  take  their  part  is 
nations  of  this  Lnipire  in  the  deft-nsi-  of  the  Kmpire  as  a  whuii',  shall  it  Ih;  that 
we,  lontrihuting  to  that  defense  of  the  whole  Kmpire.  shall  have  al)sohilely, 
as  citizens  of  tfiis  couiilry,  no  voice  whatever  in  the  Councils  of  the  Kmpirer' 
1  do  not  think  th.it  such  would  l>e  .1  toleral)le  condition.  I  do  not  believe  the 
pi-ople  of  Canada  would  for  one  moment  submit  to  such  .1  coiulilion. 

Shall  Menihers  of  this  Hoiis<<,  renresrntati  ■<•  men,  represent iiig  two 
hundred  and  twenty-one  constituencies  of  this  cou'trs',  fioin  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Pacilic,  shall  no  one  of  them  h.ive  the  s.iiiie  voice  with  re«iird  to  those  vast 
IiniH-rial  isuies  that  the  humblest  tax-payer  in  the  British  Isles  has  at  this 
moment  ? 

It  does  not  seem  to  m  .hat  such  a  condition  would  make  for  the  integrity 
of  the  Kmpire,  f(n;  the  closer  1  o-ojKTation  of  the  Kmpire  !  Kenard  inust  be  had 
to  these  fur-reachinu  eonside,  ations;  a  |HTiuaiieiit  policy  will  have  to  be  worked 
out,  and,  when  that  permanent  policy  has  btren  worked  out  and  explained  to  the 
people  of  Canada,  to  every  citizen  in  this  coiintiy,  then  it  will  be  the  dut  v  of  ar\y 
fjovernment  to  no  to  the  jHople  of  Canada,  o  receive  their  nianilate  and  accept 
and  act  upon  their  apjiroval  or  disapproval  of  that  policy." 

From  the  day  that  Mr.  Httrden  made  this  pui)lic  political  pronoun- 
cement, .so  nearly  in  accord  with  the  dearly  expressed  views  of  the 
exponents  of  Nationalist  ideals  in  ("anada,  it  was  apparent  to  all 
intelliKent  observers  of  Canadian  political  affairs  that  he  had  thereby 
rendered  it  poissible  for  the  Nationalist  sroup  to  accept  the  chief 
planks  of  hi.s  political  platform,  and  for  the  leaders  of  that  group, 
in  the  event  of  his  triumph  at  the  polls,  to  uiMte  with  him,  as  col- 
IcaRues  in  his  ministry,  in  workinj;  out  a  jK-nnanent  policy  on  the 
basis  of  fully  conserving  National  interests  and  maintaining  Imperial 
unity. 

In  the  face  of  this  combination  of  opposition  forces,  which  gave 
promise  of  undermining  completely  Sir  Wilfrid  Laurier's  political 


15 


supromucv  in  l.i.  nativ  ITovin.v  of  (iu.)...-.  -»  ^vas  -'^"n"  ^^K 
that  h..  ti»-n.«ft.r  ..n.-..ur:i«r.l  tl»-  |.n,,H.....l  .M.«nt,at...n.  for  nr  ,  r  - 
ntv  with  th..  Initnl  Stat.  -.  an.l  that  h.  su  ...qui-ntly  -<»;'!•  ""- 
.HpHM-itv  pro«ra.n.  an-l  M,u«l.t  to fin.  tla-  .ul.s,..,u..nt  v\.vUmi\ 


TV 


(•ontr»t 


ill  (aiia.la  to  u  (Uci^^ion  upon  that  Minttlf  ihsuc 


Hut  to  rrturn  t..  thr  ..aval  issu.-,  Ww  .liM-us.ion  ut  whuli.  ha.l. 

,,v  this  tin....  f....-.i  apon  p.ii.u.-  att-nti....  ;'':;;!7^';" ''',';  .",;';;' 

„i,,iti,.al  n.iati....-  with  th-   i:.n,>in-.     S,r  W.lfru     .i.M.l.th-  ...     I 

I,,,,.,  of  rallvin,  t..  hi.  sta...lanl  thos.-  .-Lrtors  of  Qu.-Im.,-  «  .o  «  r. 
Mi  I  h..Mtati.„  to  hnk  thvir  p..hti.-al  lortun.s  vv.th  th.;  ^;'t";"    '^^ 
,„ov..nu.nt.  .l...-h.n..l.  .hnin«  th-  .l.^hat..  ....  th..  a.l.lr..s-  .n  th..  H.....0 

,,f  Cotiii.i.iiis  i.i  N.)v».|.ilK.r,  UHU,  that: 

:;':::!::■•::"£ -i:S:Tiia^^^ 

they  iliiiik  lit  to  .I"  ""■ 

Imperial  Conference  of  1911 

An.l  latc-r.in  .l.u...,  I'.Kl,  at  th-  I.np...ial  (  onf...Tn..o  m  Lon.lon 
in  whic-h  he  ha.l  parti.-ipat..!  with  -vi.i....t  r.-hx-ta...-.'    S.r  W  .Ifnd 

l.aurh-r.   i..  .hsc-ussi..«  th-  qu..stion  of  approv...«  ..    th.-  propo  ed 
rule,  of  warfare,  .-xpresse.l  ir.  the   ])...!arati„n  ..f  Ijon.in..,   wh.ch 
would  Kov-r..  futur-  wars  between  tln-at  lirita.n  a.ul  any  other  of 
the  Great  l>..w(.rs  .,f   Kur.>pe.  assu.ne.l  unequ.v..eaUy  the  pos.t  on 
that  ( •ana.la  .li.l  n..t  wish  t..  be  ......suited  i..  su.h  ,hpl..n.at,e  n..got.a- 

tious  of  the  British  (;..v.-nnue,.t,  on  th.-  ^.'oun.l  that  beniK  e.,nsulted 
i.upliod  Kui..g  u.lvi...     ..  the  I..iperial  (U.v.r.uu  -nt   u...l  K.v.nK  aduce 

n  p  ie.l  the  responsibility  of  going  to  war  to  give  elTeet  to  any  adv.ee 
o  given;  an.l  I   .leehue.l.  a.  a  matter  of  fact,  that  Ca.ja.k  wodd 
in  the  exereise  of  her  ..w..  .lisen-tion.  n-serv..  to  herself  the  r  ght 
:     San.  fron.  partieipati,.g  in  a..y  war  earrie.l  on  by  Gn-at  Bn  am 
with  any  other  p..wer.     T,.rning  to  the  "'I-^-^f  ^^  .«  .^^'    ."^ 
British   I)onu.n..ns,  pn-s.-.t  at  the  eo.if..ren..e,  b.r  ^^  .Ifnd  Laun.  r 

i.  to  be  ourrieii  on  hy  the  (..oat  1  '"f  r.  oi  L.ir  \k        ^^^.^^^.^^^^  advice  should 
JreUreJ  1»  lake  ll.e  v'l "il"!")-  "  f""«  """  'I'"  "'"  ■ 


Hi 


\\t'  iiiav  ii'wv  inlvirc  if  our  .idvirc  i-  .-.iiiiulii;  lnit  if  \i.iir  mh  iir  is  xxiKht, 
or  if  vou  ti'hiliT  i«,  I  do  not  think  tin-  Initcil  Kintciiuii  ciii'  im<irrtiiki'  to  curry 
out  lliiM  advice  iiiiIcnn  yoti  iiri'  |in-|»i«l<M|   to  Ixnk  tliiit  Jidvirt-  with  all   your 


HtroiiKth.  mid  tiikt-  |mrt  in  the  war  iind  iriHixt  iitMin  liiivinB  tin-  ml 


lift  rurrn'' 


out  iHiordinu  to  the  niannor  in  wliiili  you  think  llir  war  kIu  cild  Ih-  .  arricd  out. 
Wt>  huvf  laki'u  thi"  ito.iltion  in  Canada  that  we  do  not  'Link  wr  arr  lioutid  to 

lay  not  Im>  callrd  ii|H)n  in  nil  raiw*, 
rriitiiHtiuii'CM  to 


taku  part  in  t-vcry  war,  and  that  'iiir  llt'ct 

•nd,  th«-ri'fon',  for  my  part,  I  think  it  i*  iMticr  iindir  ■'ii.h  ii 


vf  tin-  nfKoliiifion  of  thi'sc  ri-Kiilationx  a-*  to  thr  way  in  whnh  tin-  war  in  t< 
Ik-  curried  on  to  the  chief  jiartner  of  the  family,  the  one  who  has  to  lie.ir  tin 
burd 
OGcaaionn. 


en   in   part   on   Home  oeeasion^,    anil    the   whole   hurden  on   |HTliMpi  other 


TliU  lU'cliiriitioii,  wlirti  if  was  n-purt.-fl  in  ('aiiailii,  nut  with  .•• 
perfect  sloriii  id'  aiiverse  critiei^m,  tn  the  ellVet  tlial  in  the  exeiit 
of  wai  lietweeii  Cleat  lirifaiii  ami  mov  other  (Ireat  Pciwer,  a  il«'ela- 
rutioii  ^t(  iieiittality  hy  ('aiiaihi.  vvo  ....  he  nothiiix  less  than  a  ilecla- 
rution  of  political  independeiKe.  ami  that  even  if  (  utnulu  s  neutrality 
under  such  circuinstaiices  ininlit  he  respected  l»y  a  hostile  power  - 
a  simK«''''i<>'>  which  involved  ^rave  dnulils  and  diMiculties  it  would  lie 
most  dishoiiouralile  and  cowardly  for  Canada,  at  ii  time  wheti  the 
Knipire  should  he  involved  in  a  siipreine  .striiKjtie  for  the  preservation 
of  its  political  existence,  to  seek  to  sufcKtiard  her  own  territory  l>y 
declaring  her  political  independence. 

l^iirinn  the  previou.-s  year  tiie  independence  of  Canada  had  heeii 
advocated  or  the  platform  and  in  the  i)ress  more  fre(|uently  and  more 
persistently  fnan  for  many  previous  years;  hut  without  evokinn 
very  much  of  popular  favour  throunhout  the  <'ountry  K<'nerall\ .  and 
no  erthusia.sm  indeed,  in  the  IVnvi  ice  ofi^ueiiec,  whereit  wjis  realized. 
by  many  Canadians  of  French  descent,  that  a  (hclaration  i>f  Indepen- 
dence hy  Canada  implied  the  \vii)inK  out  of  tlie  existing  constitution, 
created  hy  the  British  N  .rth  America  Act,  and  the  placing  of  the 
rights  of  the  minorities,  guaranteed  hy  that  Act,  at  the  ahsolute 
disposition  of  an  English  and  Protestant  majority,  composed  of 
representatives  of  the  English-speaking  Provinces  of  the  Dominion. 

The  maintenance  of  British  comiecti(m  again  hecarne  a  potent 
P')litical  watchword  in  the  Province  of  Qiiehec:  Imt  the  views  of  many 
of  the  people  of  that  Province  were  douhtless  expressed  hy  Henri 
Bourassa,  in  a  suhseiiuent  campaign  speech  at  Sudhury,  (Ontario, 
where  ho  declared  that  the  maintenance  of  British  connection  is  the 
first  principle  of  Nationalism,  though  he  strictly  aflhered  to  his 
previhus  conlentioii  that,  if  there  is  to  a  lie  part icipjit ion  hv  Canada 
in  the  wars  of  the  Empire,  there  must  also  he  a  corre-pondiiig 
participation  in  directing  the  foreign  policy  of  the  Empire: — 

"I  .say,"  he  declared,  "that  no  government,  whether  Tory  or 
"Liheral,  whether  headed  hy  an  Englishman  or  a   Frenchman,   has 


17 


"till-  ritflil  til  |>liuiK<-  iH  into  u  war  ImvuimI  Ciiniidu's  l«ir<l.r«  alto- 
"(tfthiT.  until  the  |h-o|iIi>  <.f  Cunu.lu  have  tlir  muiii..  voi<-«-  in  the 
"•licliiratiiin  of  mucIi  warn  as  have  tlii-  |m»oi»Ic  of  (;nat  Uritaiti.  And 
"in  suyiiiK  tin-  I  a|*|H-al  t(»  tlii>  wry  foiinHation  Mtono  of  nriti^h 
"titizi-nHliip." 

Canadian  General  Electionii 

Till'  flf<-toral  canipaiun.  wlii.h  cIo^imI  on  the  21-'t  of  ScptrnibfT 
lust,  n-siilti..!  in  tin.  .Irfrat  „<  the  I.  i.r  Ministry  an<l  tin-  roturn 
nt  Mr.  liordtn,  ami  lii>  colli-aKui's  to       ,v»r. 

Tin-  lirst  annonnc<>nii>nt  of  tin-  mw  Prcniiir  was  to  tl (Tort 

lliat    llu-   UuriiT   naval   policy   Imd   l.rrn   aKand I,   or,   at    least, 

IHistpoiwd  for  fiirtlH-r  careful  consideration.  Tlic  fact  that  Mr! 
Monk.  Mr.  Dof  erty,  Mr.  Xant.'l  and  Mr.  IVrJcy  wen-  invit.-d  l.y 
Mr.  lioptun,  till  tu'W  Prime  Minister,  to  uceei)t  nienihersliip  in  lii.s 
Ministry  I  that  they  all  felt  free  to  accept  office  under  Mr.  Morden, 

was  in  u.-elf  u  nuiirantee  that  the  preceding  prolonKi-d  p  lili" 
diseussion  Imd  served  to  l.rin«  their  views  u|)on  i|Uestioii^  of  lu.vai 
policy  and  inter-imperial  relationship  ver>  nearly  into  complete 
accord. 


I  caimot  presume  to  suKKot  the  considerations  on  which  the 
policy  of  the  jtr 'sent  Covernment  of  Canada  will  l.e  based,  nor  the 
Kcneral  outline  »f  tlu'  policy  that  will  l)e  formulated;  and  the  «'vents 
of  the  recent  political  contest  arc  altogether  too  recent  for  one  who 
participated,  i\,ii  to  a  very  limited  extent  in  that  contest,  to  express 
an  altogether  iifil.iassed  opinion  as  to  the  limitations  which  the 
views,  Ki-nerally  ntertained  l)y  the  f'anadian  per.ple,  impose  upon 
tile  !  ositive  const  i  iitive  sfatesmanshi|)  of  the  new  Ministry. 

It  is,  however  -ieiiiTally  conceded,  I  think,  that  f'ai.-da  cannot 
yet  stan.l  alone  among  tin  naticms  of  the  world;  and  that  ihe  Hriti.sh 
n.iiiicction  1.  far  more  consistent  with  our  Canadian  traditions,  and 
far  Piore  hoiioural.i'  to  Loth  races  in  Canada,  than  any  other  jxilitical 
eonnection  which  u.-  might  hereafter  fnriu  for  the  |)urpose  of  safe- 
guarding our  aulorinmy,  as  well  as  our  national  interests  generally. 

liut  any  form  oi  Imperial  I'liity  that  implies  Colcmial  dependi-nce 
and  sul)or<lination.  Colonial  suhservience  and  servilitv,  is,  I  iliink, 
liista.-lelui  to  most  Canadians,  who  may,  for  a  time,  hut  will  not 
always,    killingiy  jM-rmit  their  external  relations,  in  peac(   nu\  in  var, 

18 


to  ]»>  Clint nilliMl  s.il.ly  liy  tin-  (!t»virimi<rif  of  llii-  rtiili-d  KiiulKoiii, 
wliicli.  thoimli  liii|M'riul  in  nanu',  iiml  Ini|Mrial  in  itn  cxfriitiM'  nixl 
I«'Kixlali\i'  jurixilii-tioM,  is  ••li-cti-tl  on  iixiics  mfinly  local  ami  nc\cr 
Iin|MTial  in  their  nutnrc  ami  xcopc,  liy  electors  of  the  liiitcd  KitiKduni 
who  arc  never  cnnni/ant  of.  ami  ne\er  influenceil  l.v.  the  pulilic  o|>in- 
ion  of  the  Over-Sea,"'  Dominions. 

NationuliHtn  and  ImperialiHin 

The  external  alTairs  of  th"  limpire  jirc.  in  fact,  now  <'ontrolle(|  hy 
the  uccidental  selc  linii.  I.y  the  popular  vote  of  the  electors  of  the 
I  •  ietl  Kinutloin,  of  representativcx  who  m.-iy  ur  may  not  l>e 
qiialilieil  for  hi>{h  Imperial  duties  and  roponsihilities  who  are 
selected  Ity  leaMin  of  thi'ir  ixpre»xed  v>e\v.«  upon  petty  issues  «»f  uro- 
vincial  or  parixh  politics,  sneh  as  licensing  pnlilic  Imuses,  ci  'h 
<lisestal>lisliment,  [Mtor  laws,  old  an;e  pensionx.  local  taxation,  local 
<'<liication,  or  the  like;  and  the  representatives  selected  on  the.se 
insular,  local  or  parochial  issues  control  the  external  afTairs  of  the 
Kmpire,  without  n-Kard  to  the  views  of  the  people  of  the  ,so-calletl 
*'  Self-noverniiiK  Dominions  " 

Wlien  these  Dominions  were  nrante<l  the  riuht  of  responsible 
<iovernment,  that  ri^ht  was  distinctly  restricted;  it  extemletl  only 
to  their  domestic  afTairs,  while,  in  respect  o'.  the'r  foreinn  relations, 
they  have  since  remained,  constitutionally,  in  as  dependent  a  position, 
in  almost  as  complete  political  vassalage,  .is  the  Crown  Colonies  of 
the  Tropics,  which  are  inhui)ited  hy  the  uni»r(»Kressive  black  des- 
oendants  of  the  victims  of  the  .\frican  slave  trade  These  Dominions 
were  never  endowed  with  the  lnip«Tial  franchise;  and  tliey  have  never 
umlertaken  the  correspondinu  Imperial  resj).  isibiliiies  and  oblijia- 
tions.  They  are  deprived  of  any  constitutional  voice  •  the  foreign 
afTairs  of  the  Kmpire  even  though  their  (.ivn  special  interests  are 
closely  a(fect<'d  -an<l  they  are  possessed  of  no  con^titutioiud  n)eans 
of  carrying  out  for  themselves,  or  of  procuring;  the  (;overninent  of 
the  Unit"d  Kingdom  to  carry  out  any  foreign  policy,  no  matter 
how  vitally  th.eir  interests  may  t  hereby  be  alTccted.  They  arc  exposed 
to  the  risks  o»'  wars  undertaken  by  the  (lovernment  of  the  I'liited 
Kingdom,  in  the  nuikiny:  and  cndinK  of  which  they  liave  no  consti- 
tutional riuht  to  be  consulted.  Herein  lies  the  crux  of  the  whole 
situation.  How  lonj;;  fan  Imperial  I'nity  be  maintained  on  this 
basis  ? 

It  does  not  seem  to  me  that  Canadians  of  either  French  or  of 
English  descent  can  contemplate  with  complacency  the  perix'tuation 


19 


^.-.^mt 


of  the  existing  ("oloniul  .-tiitus,  which  deters  the  growth  of  true  Cana- 
dian patriotism,  and  encourages  a  servile  Colonial  lip-loyalty  that 
can  never  be  consistent  with  Canadian  self-respect. 

The  Leaders  the  Nationalist  movement  in  Canada  ha  •■  done 
and  are  doing  an  invaluable  service  to  Canada  and  to  the  Kinpire 
in  defining  more  clearly  the  limitations,  with  respect  to  Canadian 
autonomy,  which  Imperial  I'nity  must  ever  respect. 

They  have  made  it  clear  that  Imperial  I'nity  cannot  lie  insj)ire(l 
by  the  idea  of  a  connnon  nationality;  that  it  cannot  consist  of  an 
organic  political  federation  of  different  nationalties,  or  of  widely 
scattered  states;  that  it  m  ist,  in  fact,  resemble  more  closely  an  alliance 
of  independent  nationalities  for  the  joint  direction  and  i)rotection 
of  their  coIlecti\e  interests;  that  tlie  objects  and  organization  of  such 
an  alliance  must  be  such  as  to  satisfy  nationalities  jealous  of  their 
present  political  autonomy  and  independence  in  the  administratictn 
of  their  internal  national  affairs;  tliat  Imperial  I  iiity  cannot  Ix'  per- 
petuated on  a  basis  which  shall  i)ermit  Canada,  for  instance,  to  be 
completely  over-ruli-d  in  matters  of  internal  agreement  or  convention, 
such  as  protection  for  the  rights  of  minoritit.'s;  nor  in  matters  of  inter- 
nal policy,  such  as  that  of  Kast  Indian  innnigration,  which  so  closely 
affect  Canada's  vital  national  interests. 


The  lea(h'rs  of  the  Nationalist  I'.iovement  have  also  rendered 
a  splendid  service  to  Canada  by  inculcating  a  truer  Canadian  {)atriot- 
ism,  by  fostering  the  self-reliant  spirit  of  the  Canadian  people, 
by  teaching  that  Nationalism  is  the  surest  guarantee  of  Imperial 
Unity,  by  defining  the  limitations  which  any  i)ermanent  form  of 
Impe-ial  Unity  nui-t  certainly  resjjcct,  iiy  suggesthig  the  possil)ility 
of  a  New  Imperialism,  which  may  have  a  wider  scope  and  a  nobler 
purpose  than  mere  defensive  or  commercial  interests. 

But  though  the  growth  of  the  colonies  into  nations  necessitates 
a  corresponding  change  in  the  nature  of  the  Colonial  connection, 
and  the  c(Ttain  disajipearance  of  the  oUler  forms  of  centralized  organic 
Imperialistn;  yet  there  is  undoubtedly  possiiile  an  Imperial  Unity  of 
the  white  races  of  the  lunpire,  not  merely  based  ui)on  the  racial 
Miitiment,  nor  n\ni'.\  the  insular  traditions  of  the  Knglish  people. 
either  of  which  would  ignore  ^hv  French  of  Canada,  the  Dutch  of 
South  Africa,  and  the  numerous  native  born  and  foreign  immigrant 
populations  who  inhabit  all  the  Over-Seas  Dominions — but  an 
Imperial  Unity  based  on  a  permanent  alliance  of  the  nations  of  the 

20 


Empire,  for  the  preservation  of  their  distinctive  yet  converging 
sentiments  and  traditions,  for  the;  protection  of  their  common 
external  interests,  and  for  the  most  effective  exercise  and  performance 
of  their  supreme  moral  responsihiUties  and  (hities,  to  whicli  they  are 
joint  heirs,  as  an  incomparable  civilizing  power,  world-wide  in  the 
scope  of  its  influence  and  efficiency. 

The  political  affections  of  the  majority  of  the  Canadian  people 
are  first  centered  ujwn  Canada;  her  vital  interests  are  their  first 
concern;  hut,  though  the  Canadian  Colonies,  founded  hy  both  French 
and  British  exiles,  have  become  the  Canadian  Nation  of  their  descen- 
dants, yet  it  seems  to  me  that  the  National  life  of  Canada  can  best 
find  its  full  expression  by  perpetuating,  during  many  future  genera- 
tions at  least,  Canada's  close  union  with  (Ireat  Britain  and  the  Over- 
seas Dominions  of  the  Empire,  on  a  basi.s  sufficiently  broad  and  elastic 
to  permit  of  the  autonomous  development  of  the  National  charac- 
teristics of  each  of  the  constituent  nations  forming  that  Imperial 
union. 

Bases  for  Imperial  Unity 

The  basis  of  such  a  union  already  exists  in  the  perception  of  the 
several  self-governing  Dominions  that  their  continued  safety  from 
foreign  aggression  depends  upon  their  joint  alliance  and  co-opera- 
tion; that  many  of  their  inter-imperial  problems  may  best  be  solved 
by  their  combined  wisdom;  that  in  the  foreign  policy-  of  the  Empire 
they  are  vitally  and  yet  conjointly  interested;  that  in  the  direction 
of  the  incomparable  civilizing  forces  of  the  Empire,  and  in  the  per- 
petuation of  those  ideals  of  political  liberty,  which  are  the  birth- 
right of  all  British  peoples,  they  are  entitled  to  the  responsibilities 
of  a  joint  participation. 

The  basis  for  such  a  union  also  exists  in  the  Monarchical 
form  of  Goverimient,  established  on  existing  democratic  institutions, 
the  representative  character  and  l)asis  of  which  may  now,  with  abso- 
lute safety,  be  even  more  widely  extended.  So  far  as  they  could  do 
so  by  solemn  binding  agreement  between  them.selves,  and,  so  far  as 
they  have  had  legislative  jurisdiction,  by  well-considered  legal  enact- 
ments, the  immediate  ancestors  of  both  races  iidiabiting  the  Canadian 
Colonies,  in  1866-7,  voluntarily  provided  that  the  Sovereign  of  Great 
Britain  should  thereafter  be  the  Sovereign  of  ( 'anada.  May  not,  and, 
in  fact,  should  not  their  descendants  in  Canada  now  anticipate  the 
ultimate  enlargement  of  the  existing  basis  of  Imperal  Union,  by  an 


21 


iiiflusion  of  tho  rcprcsontativcs  of  all  the  white  races  constituting 
that  Imperial  Uiiioii.  as  joint  advisors  of  the  Sovereign  in  all  matters 
of  interest  strictly  common  to  them  all?  Can  lmj)erial  I'liity  be 
maintained  on  any  other  basis  ? 

We  all  agree  that  Canada's  destiny  is  in  the  control  of  the  Cana- 
dian people;  and  that  any  new  departure  must  first  be  submitted 
to  the  people.  Xor  have  we  any  cause  to  distrust  tlie  final  verrlict 
of  the  people. 

The  winged  creatures  in  Autumn  take  their  .'light  to  more 
temperate  zones,  and  in  Spring  returti  again  t<i  their  feeding  grounds 
in  the  North.  They  have  no  star  in  the  lu'avens  to  guide  them; 
they  know  no  mariner's  compass  by  wliich  to  steer  their  course- - 
yet  they  trust  their  instincts  and  prove  them  true.  So  the  instinc- 
tive desire  of  all  white  races  under  the  British  Crown  leads  to  the 
consununation  and  maintenance  of  some  form  of  Imperial  Unity;  and 
the  instincts  of  the  people  are  often  a  surer  guide  than  the  intelligent 
foresight  of  the  wisest    if  statesmen. 

The  solution  of  the  ))r()blem  lies  in  achieving  the  right  balance 
between  the  Nationalisuj  of  the  Colonies  and  the  lenity  of  the  Empire. 
It  must  combine  in  a  pre-eminent  degree  the  Iil)erty  and  autonomy 
of  the  individual  Dominions  and  the  strength  and  security  of 
an  intimate  alliance  for  administerini;  and  safeguarding  the  collec- 
tive interests  of  the  whole  Empire. 

The  Imperialism  of  former  days,  which  imi)lie(l  the  continued 
acceptance  by  dependent  Colotiies  of  the  policy  of  the  Mother 
Country,  both  as  regard  foreign  affairs  and  the  exix-nditure  of  common 
funtls,  should  give  place  to  a  sane  Imperialism,  which,  while  recog- 
nizing the  necessity  of  conserving  the  Xatioiuil  interests  of  the  com- 
ponent units  of  the  greater  unity,  will  concede  that  those  component 
units  must  have  a  voice  in  the  control  and  direction  of  those  matters 
of  Imperial  interest  in  which  they  are  concerned  eciually  with  (ireat 
Britain. 


The  older  conception  of  a  gradual  reunion  of  the  Colonies 
with  the  Mother  Country,  through  rejjresentation  in  either  of 
the  existing  British  Houses  of  Parliament,  uuiy  eventually  pass  away; 
but  may  we  not  hope  that  it  will  be  rei)laced  by  that  nobler  ideal  of 
Imperial  Unity,  which  originates  in  the  consciousness  of  the  people  of 
each  self-governing  Dominion,  not  only  of  their  own  National  in- 

22 


ilividiiality.  hut  of  those  liitth  inonil  rcspoiisil)iIiti(«s.  imposed  hy 
llieir  very  existence,  coile-tiscly  to  iissmiie  and  perform  their  al- 
lotted work  as  one  of  the  infori-  in^  um<1  eivilizinjj;  forces  of  the 
world  ? 

If,  at  the  outset,  insti  ail  of  coneentratiiin  their  attention  upon 
matters  of  d<'tail,  the  stalesin<"ii  of  the  Empire  eould  first  determine 
in  their  (»\vn  minds  tiie  jieneral  desij^n  of  the  political  fal)rie,  the  crea- 
tion of  which  they  really  contemplate,  then  the  minor  patterns, 
the  warp  and  the  woof,  and  the  colors  of  the  material  with  which 
they  weave,  would,  even  hy  the  tmconscious  direction  of  the  weavers, 
take  their  relative  places  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  work  thus 
intellij-cntly  designed.  .Matters  of  Imperial  Defense,  whether 
military  or  na\al.  matters  of  lenislation  and  administration  re- 
specting na\iKation  and  shippiuK.  coi>yi"i!iht  and  naturalization, 
domestic  policy  and  external  relations,  would  readily  and  elTectively 
he  dealt  with,  in  conformitv  with  the  British  principles  of  respon- 
sii)le  self-fiovermnent.  hy  the  several  res])ective  authorities,  eoii- 
stitu'fd  on  a  rejjresentative  hasis  and  actinn'  in  harmony  within 
theii  ,)rescrihed  jiu'isdictions. 

Attitude  of  British  Government 

To  me  it  .seems  that  Imperial  I'nity  is  not  so  seriously  threatened 
hy  external  |)ressure  from  ( iermany.  or  from  any  other  (ireat  Naval 
or  Military  Power,  as  it  is  hy  the  ohvious  unwillingness  of  the  (iovern- 
ment  of  the  Inited  Kingdom  to  admit  the  (Jovermnents  of  the 
Dominions  heyond  the  Seas  to  share  in  the  responsihility  of  advising 
the  Sovereign  in  matters  of  external  [)olicy,  including  the  negotiation 
of  political  treaties,  the  d(>claration  of  war,  and  the  conclusion  of 
terms  of  i)eace;  in  refusing,  in  fact,  to  share  with  i m  the  respon- 
sihility of  advising  the  Sovereign  in  all  matters  relating  to  the 
foreign  policy  of  the  Kmi)ire. 

The  attitude  of  the  present  Hritish  Government  was  made 
clearly  apparent  at  the  r(>cent  Imperial  Conference,  in  London,  when 
its  President.  Premier  As(iuith.  speaking  on  hehalf  of  that  (iovern- 
ment,  and  referring  t(t  Sir  .loseph  Ward's  proposit'on  that  the  self- 
governing  D(miinions  should  he  admitted  to  participate  in  the  coun- 
cils of  the  Empire,  said: 

"l"or  what  <l<)cs  Sir  .loscpli  Ward's  proposal  conic  to  ?  I  iiiixht  doscribp 
tlic  effect  of  it  without  Koing  into  clctails  in  a  coiipU'  of  sciileiii-ps.  It  would 
impair,  if  not  altoKcther  destroy,  the  .authority  of  the  (jlovernineiit  of  the  I'nited 


23 


KinRdom  in  such  grave  matters  as  the  conduct  of  forcinn  policy,  the  conclusion 
of  treaties,  the  declaration  and  maintenance  of  peace,  or  the  declaration  of  war, 
and,  indeed,  all  those  relations  with  Foreign  Powers,  necessarily  of  the  most 
delicate  character,  which  are  now  in  the  hands  of  the  Im{>erial  Government, 
subject  to  its  responsibility  to  the  Imi)orial  Parliament.  That  authority  cannot 
be  shared." 

The  obvious  result  of  su<jh  a  declaration  i.s  that  the  Governments 
oftheself-KoverninK  Dominion.^  may  reluctantly  he  forced  to  choose 
between  the  two  alternatives:  of  restricting  their  naval  and  military 
expenditures  to  such  as  are  necessary  for  the  protection  of  their  own 
coasts  and  international  boundaries,  until  the  increase  of  their  popu- 
lation and  the  development  of  their  own  resources  shall  warrant 
them  in  assuming  control  of  their  own  international  relations,  by 
taking  their  places  among  the  nations  of  the  world  as  independent 
>iov<'reign  States;  or,  of  placing  their  financial  resources  at  the  disposi- 
tion of  an  Imperial  (loveriunent,  in  wlio.^^e  councils  they  are  denied 
repres-  tation,  for  the  maintenance  of  foreign  policies  in  respect  of 
which  they  have  no  direction  or  control. 

Hope  for  the  Future 

But,  nevertheless,  the  growth  and  expansion  of  the  British 
C  'onstitution  is  always  based  on  th(>  reasonable  compromises  effected 
by  opposing  political  forces;  and  it  may  l)e  that  a  satisfactory  modus 
Vivendi  may  be  contrived  for,  at  least,  the  jjrovisional  adjustment 
of   the  existing  difficulty. 

I  cannot,  therefore,  presume  to  suggest  in  what  manner  or  by 
what  means  Canadian  .statesmen  should  determine,  for  the  time 
being,  the  policy  they  will  pursue  with  respect  to  naval  and  military 
defense;  except  that  the  maintenance  of  Canada's  political  individu- 
ality, the  conservation  of  her  political  rights  and  interests,  and  the 
adequate  defense  of  Canada,  both  as  a  growing  nation,  and  as  a  part 
of  the  Empire,  must  ever  be  their  special  responsibility,  and  their 
chief  concern. 

If  the  continued  existence  of  the  Empire  depends  upon  the  main- 
tenance of  the  supremacy  of  the  British  navy,  and  thorough  enquiry 
and  investigation  show  that  the  supremacy  of  that  navy  is  really 
seriously  threatened,  tht'n  nia\-  we  not  yet  hope  that  the  British 
(iovernment  of  tiie  day  may  i)r<)vc  itself  worthy  of  its  Imperial 
title  by  co-operating  \v\th  the  C.overnnienl  of  Canada  and  of  the 
other  Dominions  beyood  the  Seas  in  devising  ways  and  means, 
consistent  with  the  recognized  principles  of  responsible  government, 

24 


SI 


for  the  maintenance  of  that  naval  supri'niaoy,  in  so  far  jis  iti^is 
necessary,  for  the  prottction  of  the  Empire  as  a  whole,  and  for 
safeguarding  the  interests  of  its  component  political  units  ? 

The  problem  is  undouhtedly,  in  view  of  the  present  attitude 
of  the  British  Government,  one  of  the  .nost  difficult  with  which  a 
Canadian  Government  was  e\('r  confronted.  We  know  that  the 
members  of  the  Government  of  Caiuida  are  actuated  by  motivcK  of  the 
highest  patriotism.  They  fully  realize  that  the  political  destiny  of 
Canada  is  now,  for  the  time  being,  committed  to  their  care  and 
direction.  May  we  not  also  hope  that  in  the  fulfilment  of  their 
responsible  duties  they  nuiy  ever  be  guided  by  Infinite  Wisdom  ? 


25 


